Jim Kemble

You are right kc. If the 3/8 strip goes from root to tip and the mainspar is flat on the building board then you will have an angle of 4.5 degrees at the root and 71/8 at the tip, giving you an effective washout of approx. 21/2 dgrees. I don't know what the model is but that washout angle is, shall we say, fairly normal. I have to assume that the wing section could be semisymetrical to lift the tip 3/8" at the root. Good Luck, Jim

Since 1990 I've built 5 Spitfires to the Rob Millinship plan published in the April 1986 RCM&E, RC/1513. The plan shows a foam wing, but since I didn't fancy sanding away foam I designed a built-up wing using the same envelope. The foam wing has a section depth of 1 1/2". The actual section at that scale (nom.1/7th) is 1 1/4 " The rest of the model is quite simple to build if you are cautious about complexity. The first 2 with this wing section flew very well but from there on I redesigned the wing using a scale section, and the next 3 flew even better but faster. Incidentally the washout on the full size Spit is 2 degrees 20 minutes, and I settled for 2 1/2 degrees . The foam as supplied incorporates this washout. Mitchell knew what he was doing down in Southampton. I haven't experienced any tip stall with either wing. All these models were driven by the same K&B 61. The first weighed 9 lbs 4 ozs, rather too heavy with store bought balsa, and starting with number 4 I used 4 to 6 lb balsa where appropriate and reduced the weight to 7 lbs 3 ozs. It was a delight to fly until the engine quit above tall tall trees. Later discovered to be a tiny little seed hovering around the fuel needle. The only photos I have on this site show number 4. If you intend using the Saito it should be just right. Even a 50 2 stroke. One point about weight. Changing the tailwheel from 1 1/2 ozs to 1/2 oz saves 5 ozs up front ! Although I have number 6 framed up I think that one to a larger size, say 1/6 th or more is the way to go with this aircraft. I have a plan partly drawn and perhaps next year. Briefly, Spits are not too difficult to take-off, watching engine revs and elevator position carefully. Landing requires some practice and strong undercarts help, but when airbourne there is nothing as beautiful. If you keep the nose down they glide as well as any other brick, Height helps. Good luck     Edited By Jim Kemble on 20/05/2014 20:08:42

Hi again, I'm wondering if you have the same Koverall as is sold here in the States. I'm not wise enough to post photos but I can assure you that the Sharkface wing that I covered last week has no pin holes. I finished it with 2 coats of Rust-0leum yellow; one coat doesn't cover too well. I should emphasize that the nitrate dope is straight from the can, brushed on. As for cutting it an old fashioned razor blade and a straight edge work fine. Thinking about the 1/4 size Cub, that had perhaps 3 or 4 coats of nitrate. As for fraying Danny, I may be subconsciously remembering the fraying that occurs with nylon and it's reluctance to go round leading and trailing edges. Of course Stevo the WW! aircraft were covered in linen, which in it's unbleached state is not really white, but with a clear-doped finish on a white fabric you'll get that indefinable colour. Anyway, Best of British Luck from an ex-pat. Jim

Hi Stevo, Well, Koverall is white. Much easier to use than nylon was. I use it on models from Mini-Tyros to 1/4 scale Super Cubs, and on the control surfaces of WWII fighters,where appropriate. My method is to nirate dope the structure twice, lightly sanding after each coat. Glue the Koverall in place either through the fabric or directly on the structure with nitrate again. Usually it's best to tack it in position and work around the area. If travelling along a wing, doping then laying down the fabric , smoothing it in place as you go seems to work. It can always be adjusted by the application of more dope, or thinner to soften thr nitrate. When finished and the fabric has been shrunk, I find that 2 coats of nitrate undiluted plus a finshing coat of almost any type leaves just about the right amount of weave texture. It is tough stuff and can be shrunk a little even after doping.(BE CAREFUL WITH THE HEAT GUN). And it's not expensive. Jim

Sorry CYMAZ, With a nom de plume like that you could be in Kazakhstan!! But of course the AMA only caters for the USA with their insurance programme and the minus sign, or W, is a moot point, (unless one flies for a commercial airline).

Thanks guys, although living in the States the manufacturers names are different. But I've gleaned enough from your replies to settle for the water-based polyurethane as, on reflection, it doesn't have to endure 24/7 exposure to the elements on a model (except when lost). The comment by Stevo about yellowing with age using oil-based is enough to avoid that possibility. But I haven't seen that on furniture. Thanks again

Cymax, I discovered your field. Something has happened with Google Earth, or perhaps my old computer, and I can't use it the way I did. Anyway, don't get clay in the way, even if it's not Chinese. Nice to exchange field info. Jim

Cymax, It seems that a minus has been lost from the Longitude figure. Jim

Cymas, You have me worried. The AMA has insured the field on those coordinates!!! If you look for Mace Hill Road, North Haverhill, NH, USA you can make out the strip just North of the road and East of the farm, next to the trees. I'll be looking into this. Thank you. Jim

My finish method for warbirds, particularly Spitfires (see my photos) is nitrate dope, usually 2 coats to fill bare wood a little, then medium weight modelspan with nitrate again, followed by 1 or 2 sprayed coats of auto grey primer, all sanded between coats. From there I use Humbrol colours from those small cans, again sprayed. They are authentic with superb covering power. Wish they were in bigger cans as they used to be at one time. All insignia etc is painted on. As a final top coat I've been using a clear satin epoxy. Not very pIeasant to use and somewhat wasteful, like mixing an epoxy adhesive tends to be, and a hell of a clean-up of spray guns. I've seen some mention of polyurethane as a fuel-proof finish and am curious to know of anyone's experience with this. I now use a water-based polyurethane on furniture finishing, brushed on, but that is specifically for interior use. I have used oil-based on furniture but to avoid smell and physical problems I abandoned it. I'm wondering if the solvent would attack the Humbrol finish; the epoxy sprayed is OK.

Mainly LH circuits. Our strip has a row of trees down one side and as the wind is usually from the West (at right angles to the strip), there is not much choice. Especially as the pilot spots are at the right hand end when facing the trees. But the trees still win a few. Otherwise , left or right doesn't make any difference to me personally. A visitor to our strip once remarked, "If you can fly here, you can fly anywhere!". LAT44.1053, LONG 72.0278.

Bob's Aircraft Documentation, 3114 Yukon Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA. (714)979-8058. www.bobsairdoc.com, should have what you are looking for. I have an old list of his and it shows more than 45 3-views of WACO aircraft. He has photographs as well but the complete catalogue that details them, is not to hand. I've buried it somewhere. The SRE is listed twice. I haven't checked him on the web lately but, his add was in the Jan.2013 Model Aviation(usa). Good Luck Erfolg. Jim Edited By Jim Kemble on 23/04/2013 19:58:41

Mike Etheridge, Broughton Gifford I remember but, it's at least 46 years since I was last there. I was evacuated in 1940 to Wiltshire, first to Milton Lilbourne and progressed to West Kinsington Central School which had located to Melksham for the duration of the war. When I left school I worked in the Avon Rubber Company, now Cooper I think, and was in their canteen when the D-Day landings were announced on the good ole BBC. (interupted Music While You Work!-Really!) Many happy memories but, too young then to know much about pubs. ( I know a lot about pubs now). I live in Vermont now which reminds me a bit of Wiltshire 'cause we have a lot of cows dropping stuff that smells a bit like the droppings I smelt around Melksham. If you're ever in Vermont come fly with us. Upper Valley Prop Busters. Club #2630. LAT 44.1053 LONG 72.0278. We can lend you a plane.

Apropos my last posting. I've found out that Tubby II was in the January 1944 Aermodeller. That explains the misty morning when I first flew it, in a field behind the church in Melksham. At the same time P.E.Norman was in the next field flying a gas job which ended up in a tree. I believe he was stationed at RAF Melksham, which was a physical training centre. Why he was flying so close to the town is odd, unless he was living close by. Or perhaps he launched it at the camp. He was the pioneer of ducted fans post war, continued by his son. I'm awaiting the delivery of a copy of that Aeromodeller with some excitement, ex UK.

Old John B. Seems we had the best of it. My first effort was a plane drawn on paper, cut out and glued with flour and water paste. My mother told me some time afterwards that I was 5 at the time. That was 80 years ago. The "model" quickly took on the nature of a brick shortly after being launched (thrown), but I still remember that brief thrill before it hit the deck. From there, much as John B experienced, a Megow Fairchild 24, a lightweight brick, window gazing at oiled silk covered ARFs, although framed with thin wire outlines, imported from Japan. Yes, Frog made some great ARFs. Do you remember that Hawker Demon or whatever one it was of that family? On Sunday mornings modellers would gather on Blythe Hill in South London and I would be there as a 10 year old, drooling. The first really scratch built I made was from a Tubby II plan from the pages of the Aeromodeller in 1942 or '43. I cycled from Melksham to Bath and managed to gadge a sheet of 1/16" balsa from the model shop there to make it. I had to show that was the model I wanted to build and he checked with the relevant issue in the back room. I couldn't get home quick enough. Later I worked in the Aeromodeller Group under D A Russell making solid exibition models for the then current aircraft manufacturers with the DAGRA company. ( D A Russell-GRAce Russell) When they went to Eaton Bray I joined the RAF, then Airlines, then marriage, but modelling all the time, even for The Danbury Mint here in the USA. For me it was a passion started in those air-minded '30s and has lasted all my life. Can't complain. Never wanted to be a full-size plane pilot; one of my sons has taken that on. And I get to fly with him now and then.Great Taxi! I much prefer to watch my models fly. So, John B, take that Old away. As someone mentioned above, our covering has just wrinkled a bit. Underneath we are much younger than we look. Some joints need regluing that's all.

My interest in aeroplanes started before WWII, in the mid-thirties. Across the road from us in Brockley, in South East London, was a radio shop called Star Radio and the owner also kept kits of model planes and some ready-to fly models as well. These latter were made in Japan with thin metal frameworks and what I think were oiled silk coverings. Eventually, after much pestering of my parents, I managed to acquire one of the kits, a Comet Fairchild 24, which, incidently, I have recently bought a reproduction kit of here in the States. Also, during those pre-war years, the Kellogg cereal company introduced a series of cut-out aeroplane models on and around their cornflake packets There was an Empire Flying Boat amongst these! Our backyard was about sixty feet long and that was plenty long enough for these cardboard flying machines. But fly they did. It would be a good idea to repeat that sort of thing these days. The first step to lifetime pleasure.

For non-scale jobs I use SIG Koveral for most surfaces, attached with nitrate, shrunk with heat, and finished with butyrate, either coloured or clear. For scale models sanding sealer of any genre, followed by heavyweight tissue(or Silkspan) doped on with nitrate(to represent metal surfaces) and filled with automotive grey, or white primer, sanded smooth. To represent fabric, Koveral. I use Humbrol matt or gloss as I find it especially true in camouflage colours, and finish with an overall coat of clear satin epoxy well thinned. I prefer this method as in the inevitable damage or scrape repairs are more easily achieved without any reaction between the various coats. All coats are sprayed on and well sanded of course. If not modelling war-birds then instead of Humbrol, butyrate all the way after the nitrate step. The main disadvantage of Humbrol is it's tinlet size. In the good old days they offered larger volumes. It's great advantage is it's covering capacity.

Ex pat. Born in London, after 10 years in the RAF lived in Sussex for 21 years, then to USA. 18 years in Connecticut, and 16 in Vermont and counting. Vermont reminds me much of Wiltshire where I grew up as a boy in WWII. I understand Christian Ackroyd's longing for it. Incidently, there are lots of American modelling magazines but none that stand up to RCM&E for interest. Edited By Jim Kemble on 27/07/2012 15:40:12

Roll them up if you want to keep them. Store them in a mailing tube that can be capped. (A couple of layers of paper and tape over the end will do it.) Paper will move with changes in humidity and it doesn't do this evenly if not exposed evenly, as if folded, and folded plans invariably wear at the folds anyway. One thing I see done, and often suggested on the plans themselves is to cut out pieces to build tailplanes and the like more easily. When you need to replace a tailplane etc., I hope you can find the piece in good order! I wish I had rolled some of the plans from RCME issued in the 60's

Best forum I've seen for a while. I built one of 'em when the free plan came out in the Aeromodeller I think it was. Rudder only. It's the only model I've known that really has a mind of it's own. I started with a 1cc diesel and single channel of course, and at first launch it did continual rolls into the ground; fairly soft stuff at 39 acres near Brighton. I refitted it with a Dart and that seemed to be about the right size. Eric Clutton, the designer suggested not using a 1.5 cc motor. Here in the States I made another, still only rudder controlled, love a challenge, with the same Dart. Our field at that time had just been levelled and was sort of stoney. As Major remarked about the low placed tailplane and long landing run; this took the tailplane off as it skidded along. If you're older than 80 I recommend a tin hat and 20/20 eyesight. But for fun for the buck (or quid); not to be beaten. (If you go IC don't use rubber bands to hold the engine in place; I have scars to prove it)

I worked on XVIIIs in the Middle East until 32 Squadron was re-equiped with Vampire IIIs in 1948. My memory tells me that the Spits were packed with their Griffon engines but it was a long time ago. I still love 'em. Bitches to work on but beautiful in the air. I think I'm partially deaf from adjusting carbs just 3 feet away from the port side exhausts. Good luck to the team who is set to dig 'em up. I don't follow the remark that they were buried because of Jets coming along. There were no jets in that theatre then. Could be that they were earlier marks that lacked the performance of the XIV which was the state of the art then in the Far East. Amazing nevertheless.

If you've a strong stomach try a Sharkface by Eric Clutton. 22" Span, 1cc engine. Need good eyesight and a healthy heart as well! If you can't stand up in the wind then it is too strong for Sharkface. Edited By Jim Kemble on 05/03/2012 16:07:45

Thanks Daithi, Actually here in the States it's possible to buy repro kits of Comet, Megow, etc and I bought and built, successfully this time, a Comet Fairchild "24" Ranger. The in-line engine version. They are sold by Penn Valley Hobby Center and made by an associate group called Shive Specialties. This time the build went well but I'm not likely to fly it as it's better kept as a memento and they aren't too easy to make; some exponential function connected with advancing years and fumbling fingers. Oh, and the span is only 16". If I knew how to post a pic of it I would but with fumbling fingers goes a fumbling mind. Used any slide rules lately?

The first model kit was a Comet Fairchild "24", a small rubber job that I attempted in 1938; I was 10 at the time. But it didn't go well. The first real scratch built was a Tubby II, a plan in the Aeromodeller circa 1943. I still have the magazine somewhere. I worked in the Avon Rubber Company after leaving school and was able to "organize" some rubber strip to power it with. It flew beautifully and I was hooked forever. At one time,flying behind the church in Melksham I saw P.E.Norman and another airman looking up in a tree where their model had ended. I didn't know it was P.E.Norman but learnt later that he was an instructor at the RAF Station. Returning to London in 1945 I worked for D.A.Russell in the Aeromodeller group for a while until Eton Bray loomed on the scene. I first got into R/C in 1954, building an Aeromodeller Tx/Rx combo. Many models and much joy.

To all the posters,   I was brought over to the States by a US company in 1977. In 1957 I bought a sem-detached house in Burgess Hill, Sussex for 3,600 pounds. 2 years ago I was in Burgess Hill and spoke to the current owner (sic). He told me he had paid 207,000 pounds for the same house. What do you fellows live on? I look at the cost of R/C stuff in RCME and I think I would have to quit modelling if I still lived in England (which I wouldn't mind, living in England I mean). The exchange rate is around $1.50 to 1. I guess salaries have risen; I assume that the dollar is really equivalent to the pound in real terms. In any case English is spoken there and the best models are still European. Especially the British ones.   Jim